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Attentional control may be modifiable with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide
Megan S Chesin1, John G Keilp2, Anna Kline3
1Department of Psychology, William Paterson University, USA.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|October 26, 2021
Summary
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide (MBCT-S) improved attentional control in high-risk Veterans. This therapy may reduce processing time for negative emotions, offering a new avenue for suicide prevention.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Suicide attempts are a significant concern among Veterans.
- Attentional control is an objective marker linked to suicide risk.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide (MBCT-S) is an intervention designed to mitigate suicide risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between MBCT-S and improvements in attentional control.
- To determine if MBCT-S impacts objective markers of suicide risk in Veterans.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving 135 high suicide risk Veterans.
- Participants received either MBCT-S plus enhanced treatment as usual (eTAU) or eTAU alone.
- Computerized Stroop and emotion Stroop (E-Stroop) tasks were administered over a 6-month follow-up period.
Main Results:
- Veterans in the MBCT-S group demonstrated a more favorable trajectory in attentional control.
- Significant improvements in combat-stress interference scores were observed in the MBCT-S group.
- A deterioration in processing time for negative affective words was noted in the eTAU-only group.
Conclusions:
- MBCT-S appears to effectively target attentional control in high suicide risk Veterans.
- The therapy may specifically reduce processing time related to affective interference.
- Further research is recommended to validate these findings in broader populations.
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